I have been reading many many threads on here about what people think is overheating. I get it, thats why 3/4 is ok when idle. The threads usually consist of I5's and not Alpha's. There are only a few posts about an Alpha and the temp gauge. I own an 08 Alpha H3 126k. I live in Phoenix, it was about 113 today & only about 20% humidity. Went to pick up groceries at Wally world. Ordered online then go pick up. While waiting, truck running and air on for 20 minutes at 1pm. Hottest day so far since purchasing the H3 Dec 2020. Noticed the temp gauge was sitting 3/4 with air on, no big deal. I did it last night at 6pm for about 45 minutes, still 3/4. I noticed today after about 25 minutes, the temp slowly creeping above the 3/4 mark. It slowly kept climbing, air still on. When I being loaded had small talk with the loader. Getting ready to leave and I hear three dings. Nothing displayed on the DIC. Temp gauge at high. Didn't think of looking at the Scan Gauge to see the actual temp. Shut the air off, heat full blast, windows down almost all the way home. I am only 4 miles from the store. About 1/2 mile away from home the temp finally made it to 3/4. Let it cool for 30 minutes, went out started it. Temp on the Scan Gauge on start was 195. Sat there with A/C on 5 minutes temp went to 208. I shut it off. My questions are:

1) Will the fan clutch cause this? radiator is clean no dirt in fins. Fluid was changed out, not flushed 2 weeks ago.
2) Will the Thermostat cause this?
3) Will Royal Purple Ice help?
4) Will an spal pusher fan help?

Looking for help.

 

sounds like it could be a sticking thermostat. was it ever replaced when you changed the coolant? also was this occurring before changing the coolant if not maybe need to bleed the coolant.

 

208 F is not even close to overheating. 220F is nowhere near temp gauge red or overheat. We all know water boils at 212F. Coolant by itself will boil at somewhere around 360-375F depending upon brand. When you mix the two together, the boiling point is somewhere in the middle depending upon ratio. A 50/50 mix ends up with a boiling point around say 225F. That is all without a pressurized cooling system. Increase pressure, the boiling point rises further. 50/50 water and Dex-Cool has an open boiling point of 228F (in an open pot, no pressure) and in a pressurized cooling system @ 15PSI, 265F. I would be concerned if I saw real scan gauge temps at 250F+. That might be in or near the read.

The three dings was to wake you up to LOOK at the dash instruments, next would have been an ENG HOT displayed in the DIC, and if temp does not reduce, the PCM will shut down the AC if it is on and then you will see an AC OFF displayed with the ENG HOT, next if temp still does not reduce it will go into reduced power mode and.... REDUCED POWER will be displayed with the other messages which will definitely get your attention if you never even look at the dash.

Wheeling/rock crawling in 70s F outdoor temp hottest I ever saw my scan gauge was like 219F.

1) Was the fluid 50/50% Dex-cool and water?
2) Not likely, but sitting motionless in a parking lot with the AC on and high outdoor heat will.
3) Maybe 5-10F, you should use heat reducers in place of just the water in the 50/50 ratio for maximum effect, which you could do in summer.
4) A little when you are sitting motionless running the AC, but the AC should blow cooler.

 

You never mentioned the coolant level? I assumed full proper level with my answer.

 

Oops sorry, coolant level is where it should be in the overflow and in the radiator. Yes I did use Dexcool 50/50 mix no extra water added. I know 208 is nothing to worry about but it shot up there only after 5 minutes idle after letting it cool for 30 minutes when I arrived home. What heat reducers are you talking about?

 

Don't know if it happened last year around this time. Did not own it. First day (of many) here that the temps were silly hot. I did not change the thermostat two weeks ago when I had it apart and added radiator fluid.

 

Purple Ice, Water Wetter, Cool Down, etc...........

 

bad radiator cap can also cause overheating if it does not hold proper pressure

 

Check t-stat!=> Start up cold,parked/idling with scanner connected, monitor temp & watch temp increase. => @195°F, temp should drop down.

 

he did. it went to 208